The bill was proposed by Deputy Talant Muratbekov and is intended to replace the old Law "On Drinking Water," adopted in 1999. The author believes that the current law does not meet modern requirements, especially in the area of urban water supply and wastewater management.
The new draft law includes unified rules for water service providers, clarifies the powers of both state bodies and local self-governments, and regulates the relationships between providers and consumers. The document defines standards for drinking water quality, conditions for connection to water supply systems, procedures for accounting consumed water, and rules for providing wastewater services.
An important aspect of the draft law is the tariff policy. It is proposed to establish a norm stating that water tariffs cannot be lower than the cost of services. If local councils set tariffs below actual costs, it is assumed that the difference will be compensated from the local budget.
Additionally, the law will provide for the possibility of public-private partnerships in the field of water supply, which should facilitate the attraction of private investments for infrastructure modernization, construction of treatment facilities, and network upgrades.
The authors of the draft law emphasize that the existing water supply system in many regions of the country needs updating, as tariffs often do not cover the operators' expenses. It is expected that the new law will create a more sustainable economic model in this area and improve the quality of services for the population.
